The Takedown of Brad Parscale

Trump advisor Brad Parscale was arrested by police after a 911 call from his wife claiming that he was suicidal.  There are sections of the police reports and media coverage that reveal an unmistakable bias.  Therefore it is advisable to be a little skeptical about what is being reported.

The CNN reports begins with Jim Acosta describing the video of the arrest as a “disturbing video.”  One news source that calls itself "The Independent" has a headline, "Former Trump campaign staffer Brad Parscale wrestled to ground by police after armed standoff."  NBC News reported, "police yelled 'get on the ground' five times, and he didn't comply."  CNBC reported, "authorities took a suicidal Parscale to a hospital for evaluation."  They quote a police report that Parscale, "was very agitated with the situation and I could smell a strong odor from his breathe and body that I recognized to possibly be from alcoholic beverages. Bradley`s speech was slurred as though he was under 

the influence of an alcoholic beverage and he seemed to be crying.” Quoting to police report, CNBC reported, Parscale “appeared aggressive as he consistantly [sic] spoke in a yelling and highly agitated tone and would not meet with officers away from his residence.” According to the media Parscale disturbed, suicidal, very agitated and aggressive. His speech was slurred, he was yelling and may have been crying.  It was an armed standoff where he was told to get down five time before he was subdued.

 

The problem with the media coverage is that none of it can be proven with the exception of the fact that he was drinking alcohol.  Parscale may have been suicidal in which case he missed a perfect opportunity by not coming out of his house armed.  It is unlikely that Jim Acos
ta would be disturbed by the video or anything else that might discredit the Trump Administration.  Parscale owned weapons but the only suggestion that he handled them was his wife’s accusation.  In any case he exited his house in a pair of shorts without a shirt and nowhere to conceal a weapon.  NBC reports that “as he walked out, police yelled "get on the ground" five times, and he didn't comply.”  The video reveals that as he was explaining his side of the story to an officer when an officer to his right yelled “get on the ground” four times in rapid succession.  Before he could respond he was tacked and handcuffed. He was in fact told five times to “get on the ground,” however, the fifth time the command was issued he was already on the ground.  At this point he did appear agitated.

Parscale was understandably reluctant to leave his house which was surrounded by a SWAT team.  Situations like this often do not end well.  Sgt. Matthew Moceri reveals why some police have a low opinion of police officers.  Moceri's report reads, "I initiated a double leg takedown.  I lowered my level and wrapped both arms around the subject's lower body while applying forward pressure to his mid section with my forehead."  This stature challenged officer is proud of the fact that he tackled the 6-foot-6 Parscale.  He has no business being a LEO.  Parscale should have told the police that he would be happy to come out after he spoke with his attorney.  If his attorney advised him to exit he would be happy to do so.

NBC reported, “The wife of President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Brad Parscale feared he was suicidal.”  She was so concerned that she called a SWAT team to help him rather than a social worker.  Parscale may have been suicidal.  He may have beaten his wife.  He may have intended to visit a mall and commit mass murder.  And then there is another possibility.  Comedian Chris Rock warns in his video, "How not to get your ass kicked by the police!" that, "A mad woman will say anything.   If your woman is mad at you there's nothing she'd like to see more than you getting your a** kicked."

Roll Over Beethoven

The man that hath no music in himself, 

Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,

Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils

Recently Vox magazine published an article claiming that Beethoven’s most famous work was a symbol of "exclusion and elitism."  The authors claim that "wealthy white men . . . embraced Beethoven and turned his 5th symphony into a symbol of their superiority and importance."  They claim "For others — women, LGBTQ+ people, people of color — Beethoven’s symphony is predominantly a reminder of classical music’s history of exclusion and elitism."  Apparently Beethoven’s symphony was transformed from a symbol of triumph and freedom into a symbol of "exclusion, elitism, and gatekeeping."  Beethoven has been under attack for decades.  In 1995 professor Susan McClary of UCLA won a MacArthur Foundation's "genius grant" for her work criticizing the composer.  She claimed, "the pelvic pounding in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony adds up to nonorgasmic rape."  She heard, "the throttling, murderous rage of a rapist incapable of attaining release." The 1994 MacArthur winner Adrienne Rich had a somewhat difference view believing Beethoven was thinking about impotence.  She described him as a "man in terror of impotence/or infertility, not knowing the difference."

Classical music critic James Bennett II reveals the actual reason for opposition to Beethoven: “As you perpetuate the idea that the giants of the music all look the same, it conveys to the other that there’s not a stake in that music for them.”  Beethoven is one of those dangerous Dead While Males.  Anthony McGill, one of the few Black musicians with the New York Philharmonic claims, “we’re not promoting any of the composers alive today that are trying to become the Beethovens of their day.”  Are the Beethovens of today being neglected?  They are certainly not shunned by the political class.  In an MTV interview, John Kerry claimed to be “fascinated by rap and hip-hop," stating “there’s a lot of poetry in it.   I think you’d better listen to it pretty carefully, ‘cause it’s important.”  Al Gore reviewed a Mos Def CD: “Certainly, the artistry of the CD you gave me can’t be questioned”  In Dennis Kucinich's “Open Letter to the Hip-Hop Community” he states hip-hop listeners are “the leaders we have been waiting for.”  "I call upon the collective genius that gave the world the most innovative musical development in a quarter century to change the face of electoral politics."  Michelle Obama invited rapper Common to the White House.

Music company executives and award committees have done their best to promote the genre.  Promoters can be sensitive about their position.  Years ago William Bennett met with Time Warner executives.  Bennett responded to their defense of rap by saying "baloney."  Time Warner's chairman, Gerald M. Levin was offended by Bennett's language and walked out of the meeting.  Michael Fuchs, then chairman of Time Warner Music Group, claimed offensive lyrics are "the price you pay for freedom of expression."

Who are these modern Beethoven's?  There are hundreds of them and thousands more aspiring modern Mozarts.  Two examples should more than suffice.  The Huffpost describes rapper Ice Cube: “An actor, screenwriter, director, producer, rapper, and music producer, Ice Cube has become a modern day Renaissance man positioning himself as an influential force within the entertainment industry and one of his generation’s cultural icons.”  Kendrick Lamar became the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize.  What have these geniuses wrought?  Perhaps it's time to say, "Roll over Shakespeare." 

Ice Cube created this charming ditty, No Vaseline: "I remember when you drove a B-210 Broke as a mothaf**king joke Let you on the scene to back up the First Team  It ain't my fault, one nigga got smart  And they ripping your a**hole apart  By taking your green  Oh yeah, The Villlain does get f**ked with no vaseline."  Kendrick Lamar demonstrated similar talent in what the The Pulitzer board described as a "virtuosic song collection."  "Yeah, I need everybody's motherf**kin' hands up right now.  Wake up in the mornin', thinkin' 'bout money, kick your feet up.  Watch you a comedy, take a shit, then roll some weed up
Go hit you a lick, go f**k on a bitch.  Don't go to work today, cop you a fit"

A view of any orchestra reveals a significant number of females.  There is no way to determine the number of homosexuals, but chances are that they are well represented.  Perhaps Asians are not considered "people of color."  Reportedly 36 million Chinese children are studying the piano.  Would it be possible to organized 10,000 Americans to sing Beethoven's Ode to Joy as have the Japanese.  Beethoven's genius is resented by these hollow men, these headpieces filled with straw.  According to Jonathan Tobin "if audiences still prefer Beethoven, it’s not because they’re embracing a symbol of white supremacy."  Tobin concluded, "The war on Western civilization will leave nothing sacred untouched."  Duncan William in his book Trousered Apes explained, “the arts in general are very real, formative, social forces, moulding the face of the age while at the same time portraying it.”  If our age is being moulded by rap music we are in trouble. 

The Canonization of Ruth Bader Ginsberg

"Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. (“wink, wink)

- United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, quoted in Emily Bazelon, "The Place of Women on the Court", The New York Times Magazine, July 7, 2009

I searched a photo of Ginsberg’s “Army of Clerks” to see if I could spot any diversity.  Looks like a case of NIMBY.

Losers, Suckers and The Wrap-Up Smear

 

Jeffrey Goldberg, who anonymous sources claim is a known pedophile, has written an article in the Atlantic claiming that President Trump "repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members."  Goldberg contends President Donald Trump lied when he canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in 2018 claiming that the helicopter couldn’t fly due to weather.  According to Goldberg Trump refused to visit because his hair would be disheveled in the rain and it was unimportant to honor American war dead.  "According to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion" Trump said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.”  In a later conversation Trump referred to the marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers”.  He also reportedly questioned, “Who were the good guys in this war?”

In order to bolster his claim that Trump is anti-military Goldberg references Trump's relationship with Senator John McCain.  Goldberg claims, "Trump’s understanding of concepts such as patriotism, service, and sacrifice has interested me since he expressed contempt for the war record of the late Senator John McCain." Goldberg also mentions Trump's criticism of the parents of Humayun Khan, an Army captain who was killed in Iraq.  It should be noted that his criticism had been in response to their attacks.

 

Goldberg's information is attributed to anonymous sources: "three sources with direct knowledge of this event," "sources with direct knowledge of his views," one officer with firsthand knowledge of Trump’s views" and "according to eyewitnesses."  Goldberg stressed that "These sources, and others quoted in this article, spoke on condition of anonymity."  The problem is that anonymous sources are getting old.  An “extremely credible source” told Harry Reid that Mitt Romney hadn’t paid taxes for 10 years.  Reid later admitted this claim was false, telling Dana Bash “I don’t regret that at all.  Romney didn’t win did he?”

Fox News national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin cites two anonymous former “senior” U.S. officials who have confirmed “key parts” of the Atlantic‘s story about the president.  Griffin said she could not confirm “the most salacious” part of the Atlantic report which claimed that Trump had called World War I solders buried at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris “losers” and “suckers.”  Griffin explained, "My sources are not anonymous to me and I doubt they are anonymous [to] the president."‘My Sources Are Unimpeachable’

The claim is that Trump "can’t fathom the idea of doing something for someone other than himself,” according to one of General Kelly's four-star general friends.

He finds the idea of military service difficult to understand and the idea of volunteering to serve especially incomprehensible.  This is an odd accusation of a man who is holding office without a salary.  Perhaps he is motivated by the sight of the vast fortunes accumulated by recent Presidents.  That appears unlikely.

The public's response is reenforced with comments from people outside the press. Retired airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger condemned President Trump’s reported comments saying he had “completely failed to uphold his oath.”  “He cannot comprehend the concept of service above self.” and “He cannot understand selflessness because he is selfish. He cannot conceive of courage because he is a coward. He cannot feel duty because he is disloyal.” 

Senator Tammy Duckworth announced on CNN that “We all know this is exactly Donald Trump. This is who he is. People know the story is accurate because he’s consistently said these things over the years and continues to act in a way where he likes to use the military for his own personal ego as if we were some sort of toy soldiers you could pull out and line up on your desk to play with.”

Goldberg's article is a classic example of the Wrap-Up Smear as defined by Nancy Pelosi to a group of reporters:  “It’s a diversionary tactic.  It’s a self-fulfilling prophesy, you demonize and then — the ‘wrap-up smear.’ You wanna talk politics? We call it the ‘wrap-up smear.'  You smear somebody with falsehoods and all the rest, and then you merchandise it. And then you (gesturing to the media) write it, and then they say, ‘See, it’s reported in the press that this, this, this, and this.’ So they have that validation that the press reported the smear, and then it’s called the ‘wrap-up smear.'”

Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany naturally described it as "fake news."

nearly a dozen current and former government officials have gone on the record to state the story is false including former National Security Advisor John Bolton, a Trump critic.  Goldberg claim that Trump lied about the helicopter not being able to fly is contradicted by an email from one of the President's that reads, "We are a bad weather call for today's lift."  Goldberg claims Trump blamed rain for the last-minute decision not to visit the cemetery, saying “the helicopter couldn’t fly” and that the Secret Service wouldn’t drive him there. "Neither claim was true."  An email from one of the President's military aids clearly reads, "We are a bad weather call for today's lift."  This smear will be repeated endlessly by the media until it becomes an established "fact."